Any student wishing to pursue an optometry career must acquire a strong science background as an undergraduate. General requirements include at least one year of biology or zoology, general chemistry, general physics, English and college math. Science courses should be those designed for science majors or health professional students and should offer laboratory experience. Prerequisites vary from school to school, so check with the institution you wish to attend for guidance. A list of schools and their admission requirements is at www.opted.org.
While most students accepted at optometry schools have an undergraduate degree, a few are admitted after three years of undergraduate studies and finish their undergraduate degree in optometry school. Strong candidates hold a degree in a major science such as biology or chemistry. Those holding a degree in another subject have taken science courses with strong laboratory experience.
The Optometry Admissions Test is required for admittance to all optometry schools. It measures academic scientific acumen. According to the Association of Schools of Optometry, the exam consists of four tests: "a survey of the natural sciences, such as biology, general chemistry, and organic chemistry; reading comprehension; physics; and quantitative reasoning." Students take the test after their sophomore or junior year in college, giving them the opportunity to retest and raise their scores to improve their probability of admission to optometry school.